Mistletoe
by Katsuki-chan333
Summary: In which Leo discusses the camp tradition of the dreaded mistletoe.


**Hello again, my fellow Percy Jackson lovers! So, in the spirit of Christmas, I have decided to write up a little one-shot. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO, HoO, or any of the characters involved. I don't even own mistletoe. **

**Leo's P.O.V.**

Mistletoe. Every camper's worst nightmare.

Mistletoe itself really wasn't that bad. No, it wasn't the mistletoe we were scared of. It was what the Aphrodite campers did with it.

Apparently, it was a Christmas camp tradition. Every year, the female Aphrodite cabin members chose several 'targets' seemingly at random. No one ever knew who the targets were. You couldn't prepare yourself for it. There was no warning. They just…pounced.

I had the misfortune of witnessing it once. The victim was Dalton Urie, from the Ares cabin. One minute, he was just standing in the arena, practicing his swordplay. Then, they attacked. All the female Aphrodite cabin members, about twenty of them, suddenly surrounded him. I heard them shrieking and giggling, hair and glitter flying everywhere. There was nothing anyone could do.

When the group finally dispersed, laughing, Dalton was an unrecognizable heap on the ground, covered in lipstick and ribbons and glitter and…

_Mistletoe._

Poor Dalton spent a week in the infirmary, but to this day, he still reeks of expensive French perfume.

Every male camper was on high alert. It was quite clear that no one was safe. No matter how strong you think you are, you couldn't fight off these girls. They were thirsty for blood.

Or at least the humiliation of others.

There was one Aphrodite cabin member I kind of trusted. Mostly, at least.

Her name was Emily Clare. She had short blonde hair and big green eyes. Just like the rest of her sisters, she always had perfect hair and perfect makeup and perfect clothes. But there was something different about her.

It wasn't that she didn't take pace in the mistletoe swarmings. No, they all took part in that. But there was definitely something…

"Leo." Oh yeah, that's right. She acknowledged my existence.

I had just left the forges and was walking towards my cabin when she had caught up with me. I looked over at her. Despite the weather control at camp, it had been a bit chilly lately, and Emily was dressed for the weather. She wore plain black leggings with crème-coloured fur boots and a long sleeved green shirt under an unzipped sleeveless white bubble jacket. A red beanie was stuck snugly on her head. She wore no makeup except pale pink lip gloss. Perfect, as always.

She smiled at me. "I wanted to know if you were, maybe, interested in hanging out tomorrow? By the canoeing lake?"

Emily had a way of always looking confused, so for a moment I wandered if she was aware she was really taking to me. Then I shook it off. Of _course_ she did. I'm Leo Valdez, bad-boy supreme. It only made sense that she would be interested in all of this.

I shrugged, going for cool. "Sure, I guess. I don't really have anything else planned, so-"

"Great! See you tomorrow!" Before I could react, she ran off to her cabin, giggling.

**. . .**

"Leo!" Emily waved me down by the pier. Today she wore red wine coloured leggings with snowflake patterns with black boots and a long red blouse with a black blazer. She wore red heart earrings and a bracelet with little silver bells. Her nails were painted alternating red and green, with little snowmen painted on the nails of her ring fingers. Her red lipsticked mouth was split into a grin.

"Hey Emily." I stared at her with slight confusion. I mean, she was an Aphrodite cabin member, so she always looked nice. Just not usually…this nice.

She pulled me into a hug as I approached. "Merry Christmas!" She sang. My eyes widened. I hadn't even realized it was Christmas. I mean, demigods weren't really as involved with Christmas, but still…

"So, I got you a Christmas present." she smiled, reaching into the pocket of her blazer.

I shook my head. "You really didn't have to get me-" I broke off as she pulled out…mistletoe.

I knew I couldn't run. It made no sense to try. They would get me. They would…

There was no one else there.

Seing the surprised look on my face, Emily laughed. She edged closer to me, then stood on her toes and pecked me on the cheek.

I stared at her in shock. Somehow, I hadn't expected that at all. With a grin and a shake of her head, Emily got back on her toes. I winced, bracing for his lips on my cheek again, but instead I found them at my ear, whispering.

"They're behind you."

She walked away. And then…they pounced.

**The end! Poor Leo….it hurt me to write that. Leo's my husband after all…oh well! Make sure you review!**


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